Whoring His Expertise
by saintlythenerd
Summary: There's a new detective working with the FBI that just happens to be an egotistical jerk, the catch is he's bloody brilliant and knows how to be charming and eloquent. Ryan Hardy may have found a way to turn the tides when he catches Joe Carroll off guard with an unlikely friend who has connections. Meet Veger Haldler.
1. Chapter 1

"You're just like Ryan."

Joe smirked as he folded his hands together over the chains that kept down. The problem was, he wasn't anything like Ryan at all except for a temper.

"But you're smarter. Smarter, dare I say brilliant people lack many emotions except what they need to get them to their answers faster, and that is where I differ yet.

Temper or not, Joe was sure of himself as he watched the other, composed, addressing every little movement of the serial murdered that sat before him. Joe was sure the man's mind was moving 100 miles an hour as thoughts reasoned and more questions were being thought up instead of answered.

"Where did they find you anyways? What did they call you, a consulting detective? You don't carry gun and just about everything you do is for free; Exquisite services where your only rewards are disgusted looks and loneliness."

"What I do has its costs, and no one found me, I came on my own."

"Oh, I see."

The put Joe back a step. Not only did he have brief knowledge on this so called consulting detective., the man came on his own.

"I bet you're wondering why I came? Why I might risk the chance at becoming some sort of puzzle piece in your game? I also know that's what exactly is going to happen. I'm too interesting of a man to just let slip from your sights and somehow you'll get a hold of one of your followers and you and them will know everything about me by nightfall, maybe morning, but I'm leaning more towards night."

There was a smirk as he folded his hands in his lap and leaned back in his chair. Joe did the same as well, and minutes went by as they tried to assess one another. Joe still baffled about him coming on his own.

"You're right detective. You have willing joined the game, though I do see it rather unfair, that you know who I am and I know nothing of you or who you are."

"I'm Veger, Veger Haldler"

"Ah, German then.?"

"I'm a mutt just like the majority of the population in this dull, knowledge deprived country."

"You favor intelligence then?"

"Of course I do. Many people do, it's whether or not they can handle it. You are a man that can. What with being a literature professor, writing a book, and then being able to silver tongued people into killing for you, that sounds to be like it would take quite a bit of smarts."

"Genius, actually."

"Oh, you're too modest."


	2. Chapter 2

Even in Interrogation no one could understand why Veger was there, everyone huddled around the monitor so they could see in here what was going on, what Veger was saying, how Joe was reacting. The fact that they were coercing like normal people, as normal as brilliant intellectuals can be, baffled them.

"Where's Weston?"

The harsh voice came from behind, no doubt Ryan's and there was a moment of shuffling as people looked around, some shrugging, and then all eyes were back on the monitor once more. Ryan rolled his eyes, but he wasn't leaving the room either, he was just puzzled that the kid was missing this, something that could be insightful later on. If he didn't get him for it later, Agent Parker would.

_Alone in another room, one would find Mike with a file laid out before him, blank paper and pen as well as three monitors up with different things and he checked references and dates instead of switching between open tabs on a single screen. One glaringly obvious page was a blog, the top of the screen showed two men, one who happened to be the man in the interrogation room, Veger. _

_Mike Weston was researching Veger instead of watching him and Carroll talk. Sure, he knew he might get heat for it, but he also know Veger wasn't going to say too much to Joe, or to the others; His boyish obsessions told him this, and he felt the need, as he always did, to impress Ryan._

"A blog so nicely titled "Whoring _His _Expertise" and written by a man by the name of Reese Snow who seems to be a good friend of Veger's. They appear in a lot of crime scene photos together, and it's written in first person through his eyes."

"You're saying he blogs about his friend, that's odd. People run blogs about themselves and their pet cat, yet it's all about him?" Parker rolled her eyes, as she thought that she missed something, the newsflash that only genius' mattered and everyone had to cater to their existence.

"You've got it all wrong."  
Parker's thoughts were broken by Mike's desperate voice.

"He, Reese, even says that he wants people to see beyond the ego and that selfish attitude, that Veger has and can do great work. Look at it as he's writing about them and their adventures. And if you ask me, which you didn't, Veger doesn't seem like the kind of person that has a lot of friends."

"Talking about me?"

The room fills with that kind of awkward silence that cricket's don't even chip in; Everyone's quiet, embarrassed and just starring at the man leaning in the doorway.

"Please, don't stop on my account, I love hearing about myself."  
Veger waits a moment before sighing and shaking his head.  
"Really, nothing? That's fine. I suppose you all should know that Mr. Carroll said nothing that might help you now, however he's now got a rogue piece, me. He might not come right after me, but I'm sure you might want to inform the NYPD to keep an eye on Reese."

"Oh, and he wants Sir Conan Doyle's complete anthology of Sherlock Holmes."


	3. Chapter 3: Dulled

So who actually was Veger, now that was the problem. Sure, he had credentials and sources and any agency that worked with him, recommended him, but with heated tensions and the prospect that anyone could be working with Joe; Especially him with his calming demeanor and how easy the two talked, no one was ready to trust him or give him information on the case.

"All that's fine, you research me, I research you. I have enough friends with access to files that normal civilians cannot get a hold of. Not that I'm saying I'm a normal civilians, by all means no, but I still no where to get help if and when I need it. I suppose hacking the computers around here wouldn't be to hard either, it's a common use room and people are often careless."

Veger shook his head and strutted past the lot of them, right until he was next to Mike. He waved his hands for the male to spin around in his chair and go back to the three screens he was previously looking at. The fact could be noted he just wanted to see the picture of him and Reese, but it wasn't like anyone was going to pick up it. They already made the conclusion the two were strange people with not a lot of friends; In Veger's case, it was the truth.

"Agent Weston, pull up Joe's files if you will."

"Of course Mr. Haldler."

"Veger is fine."

A chill ran up Mike's spine, suddenly the realization hit him that there were now two dominant male's to impress and this one was actually being somewhat civil, or at least acting like; Unlike Hardy who just had his anger and solemn self, always receding when someone tried to get close.

"You know, Veger, all the case files are strewn about in the next room. Anywhere he's been and what he's done since he's been online has been printed and documented multiple times in fact."

"And before he was caught and thrown in jail the first time?"

"Uh-?"

Mike looked over to Debra and Ryan. None of them had thought it relevant, maybe there were something's, and the old case files from when Ryan originally worked it, but as far as he knew, there was nothing.

"None of that seemed relevant. Now, you'll find what you need in the other room, I'm going to need my agent."

"Of course."

Veger smirked, there was something off about Agent Debra Parker. He knew he could attribute to being surrounded by dominant men in a dominant field, not to much all the testosterone the chemicals in her body must be bouncing off on, but that wasn't it. There was more to not liking him, not wanting him asking or telling her agents what to do. Hell, for all he knew she didn't even want him in the next room. That was fine with him though. He nodded towards them as they all filed out of the room. Order, it was boring, and even the hot headed Ryan seemed like a dog just beaten with a newspaper. He summed it up to having more control then she could deal with, and overreacting with someone or something slipped up.

Once gone, he slumped into the chair Mike had been sitting in, he never really did bother to read Reese's blog and there would be no time for that now. He wanted to know Joe as a professor and aspiring author. The "pretty" face of all the gruesome, artistic killings; Veger did appreciate a good crime scene after all.


	4. Chapter 4

A sudden knock on the door roused the unsuspecting detective. He had been drinking tea and in nothing more than just a pair of black pants, clearly still from being at the FBI earlier in the day. There were very few who knew his current address, though the FBI seemed like a giant sorority house so he had to assume the whole team knew where he lived by now. But still, it was an odd hour for anyone to come calling.

He got up slowly, hoping the visitor would get bored as fast as he himself did and would just leave, but with another resounding knock he knew that wasn't happening

Knock then a crash, Veger barely had time to react as two men jumped him. He fought as best he could but two on one with chloroform and hand cuffs weren't exactly favorable odds.

"That's a bit irritating…"  
Veger muttered hearing a squeaking noise that no doubt had aroused him as the effects of the drugs began to wear off. It was then too that he realized he was cuffed to a chair and in some sort of basement, the smell giving that way.

"Shut up!"

Veger's head snapped to the side, and instantly he could taste blood. _"Nightfall, I was right"._ He thought, a small smile appearing amidst the rising pain and the taste of copper.

"Oh you think this is funny?"

"Of course!" Veger spat blood as another hand collided with the side of his head. Dizziness was quickly setting, the hit so close to his temple. He really had hoped to last much longer, but he could hand le this, her was sure of it.

"Mr. Haldler? Veger?"

It was Mike's voice, they had found a lead and it was Mike's job to go get the consulting detective.

"Of course you want me to. I'm everyone's babysitter. It's what I'm good for."

"Stop acting like a child Weston and do your damn job!"

Mike could only grind his teeth as he stared at the tall, dark haired woman that was his boss, Debra Parker. He usually didn't let people get under his skin, he was okay with being around Hardy, but this shit was getting old.

"I can't do my job if I'm playing babysitter."

Mike muttered as he walked off, yeah, he was pouting but how could he not. They weren't using him to their advantage, he was good on finding things out, and a decent hacker, not to mention the fact he was a damn good actor and if just once they set up a real, decent undercover mission, he'd nail it and finally be able to prove himself. But now, all he could think that as long as he was one of the youngest agents, the second for that matter, he was never going to get a shot at anything, and it was going to take a huge miracle, or an accidental murder of a famous bad guy to make his career. The way he saw it, he was going to be pushing papers until he retired, and suddenly, he no longer wanted to be an agent.

"Veger?"

Mike's voice was a little quieter, gun posed with a flashlight beaming over it. It was only him as he entered through the kicked down door way, the hall was dark, but he could see lights in a room up ahead as he approached it with caution.

Stepping into the light and taking a quick look around he saw no body. The room was well lit enough that there were no shadows to hide in. Carefully backing against a wall so he could see the hall and the whole room, allowing no way for someone sneak up on him, he called it in – A kidnapping.

The broken front door, the blood droplets in the middle of the floor, a broken cup of what looked and smelled like tea, Veger was ambushed and taken, and Mike was going to be the one to find him.

"But how?"


	5. Chapter 5: Mistakes

_It was 2003 and Veger was working on a rather dull case. A series of home invasions had occurred throughout the city with few common factors that it the cops would have just thought a little harder they wouldn't have needed him. Not that he minded, he had been alone for some time since Reese had went out of town to take a romantic literature course.___

"He's such a sap…"

Veger muttered as he was examining the latch on a window of a rather high end apartment.

"The victims know their suspect. Why else would a man be able to come and go as he pleases?"_  
Confused stares, of course they were thinking that no one would willingly let someone rob them.  
"A man knocks on your door, he's the grounds keeper and tells you he needs to do maintenance or an inspection. Maybe your heater is running it's course or the company is thinking about installing new windows. You like the idea of something new, and you don't question the man, you know him."_

The story was all they needed as the called in to have a man arrested who worked at multiple places.

"But that still doesn't tell us why people were letting him rob them."

"Ah, there's the catch officer."

Veger smiled, it was genuine, it was one of the few things that got him truly high finding what couldn't be seen and then getting to show off. He leaned down by the frame of the window, a side of it raised just slightly so it wasn't sitting on the wood, and then he lifted it to further show a piece that created the gap.__

"A window won't latch properly if it's not aligned at the top, offset it and it's a simple few wiggles."

"You going to play pin the tail on the donkey yet or what?"

The man mumbled, blood was steady streaming from somewhere in his mouth, and he knew there was an internal bleed somewhere.

"You brought this on yourself Veger Haldler of the NYPD"

It was a woman's voice this time, and it made Veger look up, he was not expecting this. Being ruffed him, dropped and left for dead was one thing, but a woman behind the shadows was another.

"So formal."

She ignored him.

"Did you really think that Joe wouldn't know about a possible consulting detective wandering into town once things really started getting ugly. On top of that, you were foolish enough to leave Reese behind while you went to play. Should've read his blog."

"Leave him out of this!"

Veger hissed, his arms clearly tensing as he strained at his ropes. He never missed a thing, but he did. _"Think Veger, think!"_ His mind was clouded, the pain made it worse. Joe knew about him, they knew about Reese, he read about Joe earlier, he was an English professor…

"NO!"

The girl grinned and stepped into the light as she reached for his chin and lifted his head to look at her.

"Poor, poor Veger. It's a shame your friend's downfall will be your one greatest mistake."

She then drew a blade from her back and titled his head further, he made a choking noise as the blood was sticking in his throat, a choking noise that turned into a pained gasp as her knife dug into the flesh on his cheek.

"There."

She dropped his head, and he began coughing.

"E for Emma, now you'll never forget us or your mistake."

Emma purred quietly as she slipped into the shadows, her voice seeming so far away now.

"I think he can handle a bit more, then dump him where he can be found. Maybe on Claire's doorstep…"


	6. Chapter 6: Validity

Another sleepless night as Claire rolled over and violently grabbed for the clock on her nightstand, well, Joey's night stand as she decided it was the safest place in her house since Jordy had violated the rest of everything she found comfort in. 4:45 in the morning, far to early to get up, but there was no use in trying to sleep with plagued dreams of her son or nightmares of Joe trying to kill her.

Claire flipped onto her back, eyes watching the shadows on the ceiling as the trees swayed in the moonlight; the more she watched, the more strange the shadows seemed to be_. "Where the doors, locked, was my door locked? Where is my phone, oh, there it is. The windows are still sealed, good."_ Her thoughts ran through her head, she knew she was overreacting, but how could she not, after all she had been through, and then still going through? She wanted her son back. Thoughts of moving far, far away, someplace smaller seemed logical.

The more she starred the more she worried, the more she had the urge to call Ryan Hardy. It was late though, or early, he probably didn't get much sleep, and she wasn't going to chance waking him if he did. She was being irrational. - _"What are those lights? Is that an engine. SHIT."_

She jumped up from her, Joey's, bed and drew the curtains, phone already dialing as Ryan was number 2' _Denise had been one but after they found out she was a follower and Joey's kidnapper, number one was now a free number.._She ran to the closet and shut the doors…

"Hnn… He-llo?"

Barely audible, groggy, Claire knew she awoken a sleeping Ryan.

"I'm so sorry. There's a stalled car and I was watching shadows, and the lights. I'm scared Ryan."

She wasn't afraid to tell him the truth.

"C-Claire? Claire! I'll be right over!"

It didn't take much to jostle the man, a swig of vodka, a pair of pants slipped on and the nearest shoes, car keys, he was out the door. Ninety on the high way seventy-five in a thirty-five zone, whatever to get to Claire Matthews faster.

Twelve minutes later Hardy was slowly rounding the corner to Claire's street, being caution of lights or any vehicle that might gun it and smash into him. But everything was quiet, and dark and it wasn't long before something strange did catch his eye, something on Claire's steps. "Is that a body, is that Claire?"

Brakes where slammed, the car left idle, door hung open, all Ryan could think about was the shadowy figure could be a dead Claire, he was holding his breath, the soles of his shoes echoing on the pavement as he ran up, gun in hand.

"What?!"

Ryan stopped short, it was a man's body.

"VEGER!"

He dropped to the steps beside, carefully cradling the man's head as he searched for a pulse, his head moving by his face to listen. "It's there, it's faint."

"Hang on."

He gasped, setting him back down gently and running back to the car to radio for emergency help, and lingering a moment longer.

"Claire? Stay in the house."

"What? What's going on? What happened? Ryan? Talk to me!"

He didn't want to tell her that a man working with the bureau was half dead on her steps, that he was left there as show, probably not for her –"This is all for you Ryan" The resounding words echoing throughout his mind.

"Just stay inside."

Ryan clicked off the phone and jogged back over to Veger, was surprised to see the man had shifted on his own. Maybe Ryan had woke him enough, or he was conscious and just had another reason to be more so. Still, he looked dreadful and probably lost a good amount of blood.

"Hang in there, paramedics are on their way."

Sirens could be heard in the distance, no one ever far from Claire's house at this point.

"I-I…"

Veger was trying to say something, he had to say something.

"Deserved… this."

"Don't talk, save your breath."

Ryan wasn't showing it but this was so far the worst thing done to anyone besides an actual death.; Claire was held hostage, but she's alive, He himself had been the centre of attention, what, twice now? First when he tried to save Sarah, and then with Maggie. Now, they left Veger alive, why? Only he could tell them and he wasn't doing much talking.

"Re… Reese. They- they are, save… him…"

"Hey. HEY! Stay with me! Fuck where is that ambulance?!"


	7. Chapter 7: Reese

He was a quiet kind of guy, plain except for his baby blue eyes and curly, dark brown hair. He was incredibly attractive, but he never saw himself that way with his sweaters and black, usually leather vests as they tended to last longer.

He was a writer that cared about the environment and actually possessed a degree or two in environmental biology and surrounding studies. Even went so far to acquire a teaching degree but after serving as a teachers aid for about six months, he decided that most students just didn't appreciate it or have the kind of eye he did. Always feeling there was something missing in his life, he moved to New York on a whim.

He went back to school out of boredom and still not sure what to do with himself. It was not until he was sitting in an Entomology class that something piqued his interest. A Man had wandered in to ask the professor about spiders at the end of class.

It was nothing special of course, but it was the bits of conversation he managed to over hear as he lingered behind. Something about a murder, and weird spiders found at the scenes. "Scenes?" So there was a serial murderer in New York and no one knew about it? "Something like that is never kept under wraps." He thought.

The odd man left, and the student followed. He had to see the spiders, and hoped with all his heart the other man, some sort of detective he guessed would lead him there.

"Were here. Did you think I didn't notice you in the classroom, you could barely get that book away because you couldn't take your eyes off me. So, is it the murders, or the spiders that have caught your fancy?"

"How? You didn't even turn around."

"It's easy when you feel eyes piercing through you. Now murders or spiders?"

"I'd by lying if I only said spiders."

"Ah, good man!"

He couldn't help the curious look as the detective fellow clasped his hands together before crouching under the yellow crime scene tape.

"Are you coming, uh-?"

"Reese, and yeah."

Curious look fading, there was a smirk and Reese followed the detective under the tape into the house. Questions about the scene ran through his mind, but then, so was the nameless detective, he had just allowed a man, a civilian no less to enter the crime scene with him.

"Hey, how do you know I'm not the murderer and I want to see my own work?"

"I'm Veger, I know everything."


	8. Chapter 8: Darker Nature

"This is Detective Haus of the NYPD, I was told it was an emergency, what can a little old cite cop do for the FBI's elite?"

It was normal that most cities police department hates the FBI, hell, half the FBI hated themselves, between taking over cases, assisting in cover-ups, getting away with questionable murders. Parker wasn't having it, but there was no time to banter.

"We're working with a friend of yours, a consulting detective by the name of Veger Haldler, He's got himself into trouble, and it's believed the people who went after him are going after a friend of his, Uhm, Reese Snow,"

Parker might have been amused if she could see the detective's face, there was shock and terror, he and Reese were close, hell, Veger too, but Reese was more of a people person.

"Hold a sec."

Parker heard a click, I"Well, that's annoying she thought,"/i as she took in a deep breath and put a hand on her hip, a clear sigh she had been irked.

On the other end Detective Haus was shouting orders to get over to Veger's residence, that Reese was in danger and he needed constant surveillance; under covers posted all around the property.

"This has to do with your Carroll case, I've been watching the news."

"Yes, but shouldn't you already-"

"No, I'm not Veger's babysitter; I call him when I've got a case, that's that"

Debra sighed.

2003, and Reese found himself in a class he had no idea why he was taking. He liked studying the environment, he was a biologist just as much as he was an environmentalist, yet here he was, taking a romantic literature class that centered around Edgar Allen Poe. He knew that Poe saw beauty in death, that it was a form of art, but the fact that there was a class for it? He was sure to find a couple of individuals with a few screws loose.

Death happened, but people didn't usually like it, and what? Murder was okay as long as it was not someone you knew, if it was, it was a crime punishable by death that one rooted for? Okay, so maybe most of society had a bunch of screws loose, and there was more than meets the eye to this class. "Maybe someday I'll broaden my horizons, go for a darker touch in love and nature." Reese mumbled under his breath as he entered the classroom and took a seat in the back.

"Believe only half of what you see, and nothing that you hear."

The professor was quoting Poe, that was easy.

"But feel it. Feel it in your heart and your mind. You choose what you want to believe and then understand it, further it and yourself."

The class was bewildered, maybe he had been working with Veger too long already, so much so that he was profiling everyone, predicting their reactions and assuming why it was happing.

It was the teacher, he was charismatic, and it was common that a lot of women had a thing for accents. He moved around, drawing the eyes, causing heads to turn, there was no room for boredom.

"You, the charming gentleman in the corner, what are you passionate about?"

"Bugs."

Reese said quite blandly, he wanted no part in being a puppet. He was odd enough as it was.

But Joe smiled.

"You're holding back."

"Maybe."

"You're watching the others, because like me, you can understand the bigger picture, you see, _more."_

Joe drew out his final word, it was seductive, and even Reese was finding it hard not to follow the man anymore.

"Nature is art and the insects of the world are her dancers, actors, writes and artists, the hidden workers long forgotten, that will outlive and out last anyone of us, death is everywhere."

"And we want to make death in common again, we are desensitized to it, just as most are the common spider the shoe is thrown at, or the leaved we crunch under are feet on the sidewalks, yes?"

"Yes."

"Then let me show you how, let me show you all how."

Professor Carroll was smirking, arms outstretched. Of course his next victim was already chosen and it was a shame he had a type. Reese's death would be beautiful, eyes to be replaced with creepy-crawlies. Nature would cry at the artistic atrocity.


	9. Chapter 9: Fools

There was a knock on the door, a man dressed as a cable repair man; another knock followed by instructions from his boss. Still, there was no answer. A radio call, distress, and finally, the door was kicked in.

Lights were out, things were thrown around the room, the scene was sloppy. Joe's people weren't sloppy, so the thought that someone else had got to Reese first crossed Detective Haus' mind, that or it was just an opportune moment for a burglary. It didn't matter, none of the three situations were any good, and now the neighbor hood would know there was a police presence.

"Parker. He's not here, the place is trashed."

A dark blue hood hood was pulled over a baseball hat, the face trying quite hard to carry a shadow as it entered room 407.

"You were right."

the voice said quietly, shakily. There was no answer and the figure pulled up a chair.

"The day after you left I was followed back to the apartment, but nothing happened. I spent that night packing, figuring, like you said my routine was going to be scrutinized. I was a bit shocked that as I was getting ready in the morning they were trying to take me."

"Who?"

"I don't know, I didn't see them. They said it was your fault though, that I was going to make quite the display outside your hotel."

"They spoke. Sloppy. Knowing where I am, problematic."

There was a moment of silence before Veger sat up in his hospital bed. He watched Reese's reaction as he made a face and saw the male's eyes quickly drawn into the letter on his cheek.

"At least they left you alive."

"Only so the could kill you to punish me. I should call Parker."

"No need."

"Agent Hardy?!"

"Did you two really think an unknown figure was going to be able to waltz in here without actually being seen? There are guards. I was called. Parker know, Haus knows. Now, you're both coming in for questioning. We need full reports."

"I need a new hotel."

"It's being worked out."

"Reese comes with me."

"Obviously."

Reese looked at Veger then Hardy. This was another one of those things he didn't want a part of. Especially because He knew Joe as a professor, not as a serial killer. He knew from the beginning the man must have had a screw loose, he could have never predicted the man taking it to the extreme.

"I know Carroll."

Ryan looked at him, he was shocked. He couldn't fathom how many people involved with the case actually had contact with the man, and he looked, more like glared at Veger.

"We should have known..." Ryan growled out through gritted teeth.

"I didn't know."

"He's your FRIEND!"

"It's not pertinent information to him though.'

Reese blurted out.

"Then he's a little fucked up. Get dressed Veger, we're leaving."


	10. Chapter 10: Rotting

"What do you mean Veger's friend knows Carroll?! And now he's here? That's too more we, actually I have to baby sit, seeing as you OR Weston can't behave yourselves!"

"Calm down Parker, you're over reacting."

Veger smirked as he sat lounging comfortably in a chair, seemingly unaffected about everything going on nor did his injuries look to bother him; one or two of his ribs had to have been cracked, and suddenly Parker had the urge to punch him in the gut, make him squirm the way the rest of them were making her squirm. If she had her way, he would be off the case, but now that he was part of the game, just like Hardy, he was going nowhere.

"Overreacting? I'll show you overreacting."

It was Parker's turn to smirk as she turned on heel and walked out of the room. She was on her phone next, dialing a guard.

"Get Joe into the interrogation room, I'm on my way."

She huffed and clicked her phone shut, hard and strutted down to meet Joe, a grin on her face as she entered the room.

"Oh, I do enjoy seeing you in chains, even if your minions are still out there running about."

"Jealous you are not a part of this like the rest?"

Joe smiled, and hummed out the question, he was relaxed, he always was, even when he did not know why he was being summoned.

"I should be, I'm quite sick of babysitting that lot out there."

"Such a shame."

"Maybe, anyways, I've got a surprise for you."

"Oh?"

Parker walked out, this was her over reacting, she was throwing a rather meaty bone to the wolf. She was smirking as the guards shoved Reese into the room.

"Oh my, this is interesting."

Joe chimed as he instantly recognized the quiet male from his classes.

"Interesting because your subjects are sloppy? That I'm still alive?"

Joe leaned forward. Titling his head slightly as he folded his hands on the table. Yes, he had planned for outside sources to get involved, there were a few for the CIA as well as NCIS should they somehow take an interest. Oh yes, everyone was going to have their chapter should they get involved it was just how and who.

"Never thought I'd see you again. We did have our moments."

Flash back to 2003 again, the killings were still going on but Reese wasn't phased by them. He didn't try to console anyone; he didn't attend memorials or bother with safety meetings. It had nothing with him being a male and the killings sticking to women either, he just didn't care. Death was a natural thing, forced or not, shit happened; and after growing up surrounded by it, it didn't matter anymore.

"Reese, stay after would you?"

The class was packing up, all of them eager for their breaks, to go out of town. There was no point to Reese leaving, spending useless money to fly back just to be at Verger's beck and call. He was going to get his money's worth out of his apartment, even if it meant reading for the next week and half in nothing but his briefs.

He stayed put until everyone was gone before making his was to the desk.

"Professor?"

"Ah yes, I haven't seen you at any memorials. A Lot of the students have asked me to speak."

"Well, you are charming and do have a way with words."

"So, I've been told, but so do you."

"Perhaps only in your class. It's what people want to hear when you are called out on a day to day basis."

"Oh, I do apologize for that, you just have so much potential. But, why don't you go."

"You know why, I've told you."

"It's too common."

"Right."

"You've seen it before."

"You're not asking."

"No."

"My mum killed my dad, blew out the brains of my baby sister's skull before offing herself. I happened to not be home. Science fair no one came too."

Reese cringed slightly, he tried not to, he told himself he didn't care, but he did, he just kept it all locked away. But why tell Joe, because he knew the man was fascinated with death? He was an idiot.

Even Joe seemed slightly taken a back. Reese could be so plain in his words, but they way the fell, the way his pupils dilated, the vein in the side of his head throbbed, his lips moving, that's what ,made his voice unique, he would always be emotionally readable.

"You're remembering, aren't you?"

Reese snapped his focus back to Carroll

"If I fascinated you so much, why didn't you kill me?"

"Because the setting was never right."

Reese grinned from ear to ear, he had known all along, they were emotionally attached tone another for all the wrong reasons. Reese wanted a way to embrace death and have it embrace him so he could part the world correctly, Carroll wanted him dead but never had the opportunity to make him into art the way both of them could see Reese; Green and blossoming, streaming sunlight on a fresh kill.


End file.
